Whitman Stories

Dismantling mental health stigmas. Addressing racism in the medical field. Being Christian and LGBTQIA+. Gun violence. Islamophobia. The Whitman College community will take a hard look at these topics and more during the eighth annual Power and Privilege Symposium on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.

Beginning this spring, Whitman College’s scholar-athletes have a new opportunity to compete nationally in the NCAA. The college has formalized its nontraditional cross country season as an NCAA-recognized distance track program.

In light of recent flooding in the foothills of the Blue Mountain, he writes that the future of flood control in the Walla Walla Valley must be addressed, including critical infrastructure.

Psychology major Al-Rahim Merali '13 thought he knew what he needed to be successful. Today, the User Experience Researcher at Google knows that success is more about flexibility and critical thinking then what kind of degree you have.

Meet Our Whitties is an occasional feature produced by the Office of Communications. It features a Q&A with students from across Whitman College. The February feature is with senior BBMB major Kylie Nash.

Johanna Stoberock has always been a writer. Her storytelling started young: “I guess growing up I always wrote. It was something that I really loved doing. I was a huge reader and kept a journal for years and years” said Stoberock, a senior adjunct assistant professor of Composition and General Studies at Whitman College.

Alma Meisnest Chair of Humanities and Professor of Film and Media Studies Robert Sickels spoke to a reporter about this year's Academy Award nominees and concerns over the lack of diversity.

"The Making of a Global Writer" opens February 1 at the University of Texas at Austin's Harry Ransom Center. Comprising approximately 300 items, including numerous never-before-seen documents, it charts the Nobel Prize-winning author's path toward becoming a literary star.

Hosted by the Student Engagement Center (SEC), the 2020 Sophomore Summit brought together more than two dozen students with alumni and community leaders to explore careers and gain professional skills.

Assistant Professor of Politics Jack Jackson describes the impeachment case against President Trump as "new territory" for the U.S. but adds that the proceedings "may reveal more consensus in the country about the president’s behavior than people imagine ... The partisan spectacle in Congress may, in fact, be obscuring this reality.”

At six, Kirkley suffered a seizure that left him unable to read, write and speak for years. Doctors warned he would never be a regular student, but Kirkley, now a geology-environmental studies major at Whitman in addition to a standout on the basketball court, has overcome obstacles with the support of his professors and coaches.

The Walla Walla community is invited to join Whitman College in creating positive social change during its inaugural Unity Week events, Jan. 20-24, 2020. It’s a week that brings together community members, leaders in social justice, and college students from Whitman College, Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) and Walla Walla University (WWU) with speakers and workshops aimed at transforming a passion for equality into action.